MELSA is a group that seeks to engage the HLS community in a discussion of the unique and vibrant (legal) cultures of the Middle East and of the legal aspects of the ongoing U.S. engagement in the Middle East. The war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, as well as the human rights challenges within many Middle Eastern countries are situations in which the laws of war, the law of occupation, human rights law, international law and national laws all intersect.
MELSA seeks to focus the debate on the Middle East in a legal context by inviting speakers, screening films, and hosting other activities at HLS. It is open to all members of the Harvard community.